Ball return and projecting mechanism for amusement game apparatuses



Feb. 5, 1 52 H. E. WILLIAMS BALL RETURN AND PROJECTING MECHANISM FOR AMUSEMENT GAME APPARATUSES Filed June 24, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l all Feb. 5, 1952 w|LL|AM$ 2,584,956

' BALL RETURN AND PROJECTING MECHANISM FOR AMUSEMENT GAME APPARATUSES Filed June 24, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hwy ,6. h/i/b'ams- Feb. 5, 1952 w L1 2,584,956

BALL RETURN AND PROJECTING MECHANISM FOR AMUSEMENT GAME APPARATUSES Filed June 24, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WILLIAMS BALL. RETURN AND PROJECTING MECHANIS 2,584,956 M FOR Feb. 5, 1952 H. E.

AMUSEMENT GAME APPARATUSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 24, 1946 INVEN'I'OR.

6. WWW)? M {w Patented F ch. 5, 1952 BALL RETURN AND PRQJECTING MECHA- NISM FOR- AMUSEMENT GAME APPARA- TUSES Harry E. Williams, Chicago, 111., assignor to Williams Patent Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application June 24, 1946, Serial No. 678,841

3 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ball return and projecting mechanism for amusement game apparatuses of the type known as a bagatelle game in which balls are successively propelled or projected to an upper end portion of an inclined playing board for gravitation theredown into and against targets or other baffles to a position in what is known as an out ball return pocket.

The present invention is more particularly concerned with mechanism for delivering the balls from the return pocket to an arcuate runway from whence the balls are deposited in a projection alley along which they are projected by a ball projecting means. In this aspect of the invention an object is to provide a mechanism for controlling the movement of the balls from the ball return pocket to a position in front of a ball projector, with the balls visible at all times to the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism which will be simple in construction, easy of operation, and economical in manufacture, a mechanism which is positive and accurate in its operation, and one which will not easily become defective by continuous and rough usage.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a game apparatus in which my invention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the playing board embodied in the game apparatus shown in Fig. 1, viewing the same from the bottom thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 2, as viewed at a perspective angle from the bottom of the playing board;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a mounting plate embodied in the invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the mechanism shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 2, as viewed from the bottom of the playing board;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the parts thereof in a different posi tion;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the underside of the playing board showing part of the ball dislodging mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of the same taken on line 88 of Fig. 2.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferred form of construction illustrated in the drawings. In this connection the amusement game apparatus having incorporated therein my invention is indicated at It) and includes a cabinet it having a playboard l2 over which balls are adapted to gravitate from the upper end portion thereof to a lower end portion for contact with targets or other bafile means (not shown). Over this playing board I2 is usually disposed a glass top (not shown).

At the lower end portion of this playing board 12 and within the cabinet II is a block I3 having converging edge portions l4 against which the balls are adapted to contact and be guided to an outlet it into a ball pocket [6 formed diagonally of the board l2. Below this pocket Hi the block it provides a ball runway 11 into which balls from the pocket 16 are delivered for movement to the lower end portion l8 of the runway I! from whence the balls are propelled through a return trough Hi to a position in front of a projector 29, which projector 20, when operated, projects the ball up a runway 2| to the upper end portion of the board l 2 from whence it gravitates, as before stated. This projector 20 may be of any approved construction now commercially in use and including a plunger'rod 22 urged into ball projecting position by means of a spring 23. This projector does not per se comprise the present invention.

Associated with the cabinet H is a coin slide it including a slide member 25. This coin slide is constructed in accordance with the disclosure of United States Patent No. 1,908,380, dated May 9, 1933, granted to one Tratsch on 9. Coin Slide. The slide member 25 is hand-operated and the inner end portion 26 thereof projects into the cabinet 1 i beneath the board l2 for reasons hereinafter set forth.

The pocket It is formed by a cut-out 21 provided in the board 12 with a mounting plate 28 (Fig. i) normally closing this cut-out 21 and constituting the bottom wall of the pocket It. This plate 28 is secured to the underside 29 of the board l2 by means of connecting screws 30 (Fig. 2). At each end of the plate 28 are formed elongated slots 3!. At each end of the plate 28 there are provided upstanding lugs 32 perforated as at 33 (Fig. 4).

Pivotally connected to these lugs 32 by means of pins 34 (Fig. '7) is an actuated bar 35 providing angled portions 36 to which the pins 34 are connected in any suitable manner, such as by spot welding or the like. This actuated bar 35 has secured thereto as at 31, by spot welding or the like, oppositely disposed plates 38 which are adapted, when the actuated bar 35 is pivoted relative to the lugs 32, to pass into the slots 3I of the plate 28 (Fig. '7). Disposed on the top surface of the plate 28 (Figs. 1 and 8) is an elongated ball lift bar 39 having angled end portions 49 secured to the plates 38 as at 4| by means of threaded bolts or the like.

In the board I2 at the lower right-hand corner as viewed in Fig. 1, there is provided a cut-out 42 (Fig. '7) which communicates with the lower end portion of the runway II beneath the block I3.

A blocking arm is indicated at 43, and this arm is adapted to block the operation of a ball transfer mechanism (hereinafter described) when the actuated bar 35 is pivoted to move the lift bar 39 from the pocket I6 to the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 8, for reasons hereinafter set forth. This blocking arm is fixed to a pivot bar 44 as at 45. This pivot bar 44 is pivotally connected to a supporting lug 46 as at 41, the supporting lug 46 being connected as at 48 to the underside of the board I2. The end portion 49 of this pivot bar 44 is disposed in the path of a lateral projection 58 formed on the actuated bar 35, the arrangement being such that when the actuated bar 35 is pivoted in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7, the bar 44 will pivot in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. '7, under the action of a spring I, to dispose the blocking arm 43 in the path of the ball transfer mechanism, hereinafter described.

The means for actuating the bar 35 to move the ball lift bar 39 is illustrated in the perspective view shown in Fig. 3, a plan view being shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 2. This mechanism includes an elongated plate 53 mounted for slidable movement relative to mounting brackets 54 secured as at 55 by means of screws to the underside of the playing board I2. Adjustably secured to this plate 53 by means of bolt and slot connections 56 is an abutment plate 51 disposed in the path of movement of the slide member 26 and moved by the slide member 26 against the action of a spring 58 connected as at 59 to the plate 51 and to the underside of the board as at 69. Secured to this plate 53 by a transverse arm GI and extending parallel therewith is an operating bar 52 having a cam surface 63 which is adapted to engage the end portion 64 of the actuated bar 35 whereby when the plate 53 and bar 62 are moved in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3), the cam 63 will engage the end portion 84 of the bar 35 and pivot the same in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. '7. against the action of a spring 85, one end of which is connected as at 55 to the bar 35 and the opposite end as at 61 to the playing board I2.

The operation of the structure thus far described is as follows:

As the balls reach the lower end portion of the playing board I2 they will roll by gravity into the pocket I6. At the completion of a game and at the start of a new game, when the coin slide 25 is moved inwardly, the end 28 thereof will engage the plate 51 and impart sliding movement to the plate 53 and bar 62 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3), against action of the spring 58. As the high part of the cam surface 63 bears against the end portion 64 of the actuated bar 35, the bar 35 will be pivoted in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7. This pivotal moi"?- ment of this bar 35 will pivot the ball lift bar 39 in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8, and the balls resting thereon will be projected from the pocket I6 into the runway I'I over a guide strip 61 secured in any suitable manner to the floor of the runway I! as at 68. When the balls are received by this runway I'I, the will gravitate to the lower end thereof in a position to be transferred through the return runway to ball projecting position in the runway 2|.

This transfer of the balls in successive order from the lower end portion I8 of the runway H to ball projecting position in the runway 2| forwardly of the plunger rod 22, is accomplished by the mechanism illustrated in the right-hand portion of Fig. 2 and in Figs. 5 and 6. This mechanism will now be described.

A ball transfer arm is indicated at 69 and includes a head In which is adapted to engage the balls. This arm 69 operates within the cut-out 42 and through the runway I9. The arm 69 is secured as at II to a plate I2 by meansof spot welding or the like. This plate 12 is pivotally connected to the board I2 by means of a pintle structure I3 including a spacer sleeve 14 which spaces plate I2 from the head I5 of the pintle structure. This plate I2 is connected at its outer end portion by means of a spring I5 to an arm I1. One end portion l8 of this arm TI has a strike plate I9 which is adapted to be engaged by the end of a plunger 8! of a well known construction and having an operating head 82 thereof disposed exterior of the cabinet II. This plunger is of a well known construction and per se does not constitute the invention and is schematically shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This arm 11 is pivotally connected as at 83 to the plate 28 (Fig. 5). There is adjustably connected to this arm 11 by means of a bolt and slot connection 84, a trip arm 85. This trip arm 85 is adapted to engage a pin 86 carried by the arm 81 of a bell crank 88 pivotally connected at 99 to a mounting plate 89 secured to the underside of the playing board I2 as at 9 I. The arm 92 of this bell crank provides a latch head 93 which is adapted to have latched engagement with a finger 94 carried by the plate 12, the plate 12 through its finger 94 being con nected by means of the spring 16 to the arm I1. A depending lug 95 extends from the plate I2 in the path of movement of the arm 11, to limit the relative movement in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, of this arm I? under the action of a spring 95, one end of which is connected as at 91 to the lug 46 secured as at 48 to the underside of the board I2 and the opposite end as at I00 to the arm 11. The bell crank. lever 88 is normally pivoted in a clockwise direction to dispose the latch head 93 in latched engagement with the finger 94 of the plate I2. The operation of the foregoing structure is as follows.

When the plunger head 82 has the pressure of the thumb of the operator applied thereto, the plunger will be moved in a direction to bear the end 89 against the strike plate 19. Continued movement of this plunger 8I with its end 80 in engagement with the strike plate '19 will pivot the arm 11 against the action of the spring 96 to move the trip arm 85 into tripping engagement with respect to the pin 86, whereupon continued movement of the arm TI with the trip arm 85 bearing against the pin 88, will pivot the bell crank arm 92 against the action of the spring I83 to move the latch head 93 from latched engagement with the finger 94 of the plate I2.

{is the spring 15 has been placed under tension by the foregoing operation, including movement of the arm I! ma clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, the release of the latch head 93 from the latch arm 12, will cause this arm 12 to pivot with spring action so as to move the transfer arm 69 into contact with the ball B in the runway ll, and move this ball B with snap action through the return runway I9 to a position forwardly of the plunger 22.

Upon release of the plunger head 82 by the player, the spring 96 will return the arm 11 to its normal position shown in Fig. 5, and in that return the plate 12 will be returned to its normal position by the spring 16, as will the bell crank arm 92 by its spring I03, ready for the next operation of transferring a ball from the lower end portion of the runway I! through the return runway [9 into the projection runway 2|.

By this simple operation, it is obvious that a minimum effort upon the part of the player is required to transfer a ball from the runway ll to the projection runway 21 and that this transfer of the ball becomes automatic as soon as the plunger 8| has moved the arm 11 a predetermined distance to release the latch head 93 of the bellcrank arm 92 from latched engagement with the plate 12. By this arrangement, the only control which a player has over the transfer of the ball is through the plunger 8|, which, after it has been moved a predetermined distance in the direction of its length, automatically sets the transfer mechanism into operation for transferring the ball in the manner hereinbefore stated. This eliminates the .delay in the operation of the game due to an involved transfer of the ball from one position to another.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as com within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement game apparatus including an inclined board having at one end thereof a ball pocket and over which board balls are adapted to gravitate into said ball pocket, said board having at one side edge thereof a projection runway communicating with the top of the board for delivering balls to the top portion of the board for gravitation thereover, said board also having adjacent and parallel to said ball pocket a. ball runway, a return runway opening communication between the ball runway and the ball projection runway, means for transferring balls from said ball pocket to the ball runway, means for transferring said balls from said ball runway through said return runway to the ball projection runway, means for projecting the balls through said projection runway to the upper end of the board, said means for transferring the balls from the ball pocket to the ball runway comprising a ball lift member extending longitudinally within said ball pocket, means for supporting said lift member for pivotal movement in a direction to transfer the balls from th ball pocket to the ball runway, means for pivotally moving said ball lift member, and means adapted to block operation of the ball transfer means when said ball lift member is operated to transfer balls from the ball pocket to the ball runway.

2. A game apparatus including an inclined board having a ball projection runway at one side thereof and communicating with the upper end of the board for delivering a ball to said upper end for gravitation over the board, said board having a ball trap at the lower end portion thereof, a ball receiving runway adjacent and parallel with respect to the trap and in a plane slightly thereabove, a return runway opening communication between said ball receiving runway and. said projection runway, means in said trap for transferring balls therefrom into said ball receiving runway, means for transferring balls from said ball receiving runway through said return runway to said projection runway, said transferring means including a springactuated ball engaging member, a trigger for releasably holding said member against ball engaging movement, and manually operable means for tensioning the spring of said spring-actuated ball engaging member and for releasing said trigger to release the said tension spring.

3. An amusement game apparatus including an inclined board having at one end thereof a ball pocket and over which board balls are adapted to gravitate into said pocket, said board having at one side edge thereof a projecting runway communicating with the top of the board for delivering balls to the top portion of the board for gravitation thereover, said board having adjacent and parallel to said pocket a ball runway, a return runway opening communication between the ball runway and the ball projecting runway, an elongated guide strip between said pocket and said ball runway and over which balls from said pocket are adapted to be lifted into said ball runway, a ball lift member pivotally supported by said board and extending longitudinally within said pocket along the bottom thereof for engaging and transferring balls over said strip from said pocket to said ball runway, means for pivotally moving said ball lift member in ball transferring direction, means for transferring said balls from said ball runway through said return runway to the ball projecting runway, and means for projecting the balls through said projecting runway to the upper end of said board.

HARRY E. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,040,310 Hooker May 12, 1936' 2,083,108 Anderson et a1. June 8, 1937 2,084,452 Radtke June 22, 1937 2,136,060 Shyvers Nov. 8, 1938 2,167,352 Falck July 25, 1939 2,378,983 Conwell, June 26, 1945 2,551,023 Levitt May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 397,575 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1933 416,980 Great Britain Sept. 24, 1934: 

